Many people find winter miserable. It can be hard dealing with freezing temperatures, inclement weather, and long nights. With much of the nation experiencing record-breaking cold and windchills today and the current temperature at George Washington's Ferry Farm as we publish this post only 20 degrees Fahrenheit. it may not feel like it but our … Continue reading The Hazards of Winter in Washington’s Day
Natural History
A History of Trees at Ferry Farm
The moment anyone mentions trees and George Washington, you probably think of the famous Cherry Tree Story. However, this tale of young George taking a hatchet to his father's cherry tree and, when confronted about the act, asserting "I cannot tell a lie" is probably just that -- a story meant to demonstrate the integrity … Continue reading A History of Trees at Ferry Farm
Spring at Historic Kenmore! [Photos]
Sunny days. Blue skies. Blooming flowers. Spring at Historic Kenmore is a beautiful time! To plan your next visit to Kenmore, go to kenmore.org/visiting.
Surveying the Bird Life at George Washington’s Ferry Farm
Recently, on a gray overcast March morning, four members of the Fredericksburg Birding Club bundled up against the unseasonable cold to trudge across the open fields and through the forests of George Washington’s Ferry Farm to conduct their latest bird survey. It was their fourth such survey in the past seven months. During these surveys … Continue reading Surveying the Bird Life at George Washington’s Ferry Farm
Photos: Flowers at Kenmore
Spring flowers blooming recently at Historic Kenmore!
Photos: Flowers at Ferry Farm
Spring flowers are blooming at George Washington's Ferry Farm!
Our Ever Evolving Relationship with Plants
Plants have played a critical role in human survival through the ages. Although most people in the modern world do not rely on plants they gather themselves, we are surrounded by useful flora that Native Americans and later European colonists relied upon. Today, some are labeled as ‘weeds’ while the more attractive ones are propagated … Continue reading Our Ever Evolving Relationship with Plants
Summer Greens from the Colonial Garden
Typically, when modern Americans think of summer barbecue food, they think of meat grilled over an open flame. While that would certainly appeal to an eighteenth century audience, it is not necessarily what they considered ‘typical’ summer fare. Large livestock like pigs and cattle were usually slaughtered and butchered in the late fall/early winter when … Continue reading Summer Greens from the Colonial Garden
May Flowers
Beautiful flowers are in bloom in the demonstration garden at George Washington's Ferry Farm!
Apple Cedar Rust: What on Earth is It and Why Does It Matter?
Sometimes nature can be stranger than fiction. At George Washington’s Ferry Farm, we are currently experiencing such a phenomenon: Apple Cedar Rust. Hideous in appearance, yet strangely fascinating, this fungus erupts on our cedar trees every few years when temperature and moisture are just right. It’s a monstrous growth with bright orange tentacles. Like some … Continue reading Apple Cedar Rust: What on Earth is It and Why Does It Matter?
Lives & Legacies 